Jasmine Paolini has crushed plenty of opponents with her spin-heavy forehands, but it turns out her most unbeatable weapon might not even be found on the tennis court—it’s simmering on the stove in Tuscany. The Italian tennis star recently let fans in on a closely guarded secret: her go-to recovery fuel isn’t a smoothie or a protein bar… it’s her nonna’s pasta.
In a recent interview after a grueling three-set victory, a reporter casually asked Jasmine how she unwinds post-match. Her answer? “I go home and eat my grandmother’s tagliatelle. Honestly, it fixes everything—sore legs, heartbreak, bad line calls.” And just like that, pasta Twitter exploded.
Soon after, Paolini posted an Instagram Story from her family kitchen, featuring a bubbling pot of tomato sauce, fresh basil, and what looked like handmade pasta ribbons so perfect they could be mistaken for luxury silk. The caption read: “Nonna says it’s all in the rolling technique 💪🍝.”
Fans were quick to ask for the full recipe. Was it a family secret? Is there a cookbook coming? Could they order takeout from Paolini HQ? One fan even tweeted: “If she opens a pasta chain after retiring, I will invest every euro I have.”
While Jasmine didn’t share all the details, she did drop a few ingredients during a post-match interview: ripe San Marzano tomatoes, lots of garlic, olive oil “from Uncle Carlo’s grove,” and a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano “but only at the very end.” Culinary intrigue reached new heights when she teased a “Paolini Pasta Night” on her stories, featuring her teammates awkwardly attempting to roll dough under Nonna’s strict supervision.
Naturally, fans are demanding more. Some are even calling for a cooking segment during tennis broadcasts. “I want to see her break serve and then break an egg,” joked one user. Another suggested a Netflix spin-off: “Paolini’s Pasta & Points.”
But beyond the lighthearted pasta mania, Jasmine’s culinary tribute to her roots offers a charming look at the athlete behind the racket. While she trains hard, travels endlessly, and faces down some of the toughest opponents in women’s tennis, she always returns to her family—and her grandmother’s kitchen—for a taste of home.
In a sport dominated by power and precision, Paolini’s pasta-powered approach reminds us that a little love (and a lot of carbs) goes a long way. Whether she’s acing forehands or stirring sauce, Jasmine’s clearly got the recipe for success.
